Julius eibdel and albert pfluger



(No Model.)

.J. RIEDEL & A. PFLUGER.

Match Box.

No. 233,803. Patented Oct.'26, I880.

N. PETER-8, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFIfiE.

JULIUS BIEDEL AND ALBERT PFLUGER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TO CARL BBAMER, OF SAME PLACE.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,803, dated October 26, 1880,

Application filed July 30, 1880. (No model.) Patented in Germany December 12,1879.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that we, JULIUS BIEDEL and ALBERT PFLiiGnR, subjects of the King of Prussia, residing at the city of Berlin, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes and we dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart ofthis specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in match boxes, stands, or safes for use upon tables or counters, or on walls, or as pocket match-safes; and it consists in certain details of construction and arrangement, all as hereinafter fully described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents, in elevation, the device employed as a match-stand. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent, respectively, a plan view, a side, and end elevation of the match-receptacle proper, the outer casing' and stand being removed. Fig.5 is an isometrical view of an ordinary paper match-box, the bottom thereof being removed. Figs. 6 and 7 are like views, showing the device arranged for use as a pocket match- ,safe or a wall match-safe. Fig. 8 is a like view of the devices arranged more particularly for use as a pocket-safe, and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of the same.

In the accompanying drawings like letters of reference are employed to indicate like parts wherever such may occur.

A represents a casingof any desired form, preferably of rectangular or oblong shape, and made of any suitable material, such as wood, metal, pasteboard, papier-mach, &c. It has has a recess, a, below its bottom, and is attached to or set on a suitable stand, a, provided with an enlarged base, a which may 5 serve as a receptacle for matches after having been used.

B is the match-receptacle proper, provided with a series of compartments, b, extending from the bottom to the top of the receptacle.

These compartments, which are preferably made of undulating sheet metal or other suitable material, pressed, stamped, molded, or otherwise made into the undulating shape shown, are hinged together, as shown at 0, Figs. 3 and 4, so that the device may be opened 5 5 somewhat like a book for the insertion of the matches. The upper end of each compartment is provided on its interior surface with some gritty substance, such as fine sand, emery, or any one of the substances usually employed for forming the friction-surfaces on the ordinary match-boxes, for the purpose of igniting the matches as they are withdrawn from their respective compartments. This hinged receptacle or receptacles, when filled with matches, are inserted into the casing A, which has on its opposite sides springs b, for the purpose of compressing or holding the compartments 1) firmly together, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5 we have shown the ordinary form of I match-box or match-wrapper, usually made of paper or thin pasteboard, and pror'ided with a lid or cap, or made to slide in an inclosingcase. The compartments 6 for the matches are 7 5 here made ofstiff paper ofthe undulating shape shown, the strips being provided at the upper edges with roughened or friction surfaces to ignite the matches when withdrawn; and, if desired, these paperreceptacles B may be employed in conjunctionwith the inclosing-case A, being less costly than the metallic receptacles above referred to.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have shown the recepcle B arranged in book form and provided with two intermediate leaves, L, hinged with the match-receptacles b at 0, said leaves being provided at their'iipper edges with roughened or friction surfaces D, so that when the device is folded the leaves L will form the inclosure for the inner side of said receptacles b, and when a match, G, is withdrawn the igniting material at one end thereof will come in contact with one or the other of the frictionsurfaces D and be ignited, and, if desired, a 5 lid or cover, b may be hinged to one of the outer leaves, as shown in dotted lines at h, Fig. 6, to cover the top of the match-safe.

Instead of extending the compartments the entire length of the match-receptacles, a series of sockets may be formed at the lower end thereof by means of a narrow strip of undulating or fluted material, to isolate that part of the match to which the igniting material is applied, and provided with guards I) at the upper edges of each receptacle, to prevent the matches from slipping out laterally, as shown in Fig. 7, and anynumber of such receptacles may be employed.

The arrangement of match-safe shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be employed as wall-pockets by providing suitable means to suspend them from a nail or other like support, and suitable hasps to hold the parts together when so suspended or a lid may be hinged thereto, as shown in Fig. 6, and the safemay be employed as a pocket match-safe.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 we have shown the devices arranged more particularly for use as pocket match-safes. The casing A, open at top and bottom, is here provided with a slot, S, and either one of the receptacles B, (shown in Figs. 6 and 7,) provided on one side with a stud or pin, P, and at the other with a lid, b hinged at h, is inserted into the open casing, the act of insertion automatically closing the lid over the outer casing, A, and when the device is grasped as shown in Fig. 8 and the receptacle B shoved upward by the application of the thumb to the pin 1?, projecting through the slot S, the lid will automatically fly open and the match ends will project above the case sufficiently to be taken hold of and withdrawn, and by so doing they will be automatically ignited, as will be readily seen.

Of course it will be understood that the matches are placed in the compartments 1) with their heads down, so that the match has to be almost wholly withdrawn before said heads come in contact with the friction-surface.

The paper case (shown in Fig. 5) may be left open at top and bottom, and inserted or placed into open-sided holder B, Fig. 10, and the two placed in the casing A, Figs. Sand 9, and used as a pocket match-safe, said paper receptacle B, Fig. 5, being thrown away as useless when the contained matches are used up, when a fresh one may be inserted in its place.

IVhen the receptacles, Figs. 6 and 7, are used in conjunction with the inclosing-case A, open at top and bottom, as shown, Figs. 8 and 9, the lid 1) will form the top of the safe, and the hinged lower or bottom ends of said receptacle B will form the bottom of the outer casing, A, the same taking place when the paper receptacle, Fig. 5, is employed only. Here the holder B will form the closure for both the bottom of the paper receptacle and that of the outercasing, while the lid of said holder will form a like closure for the top of the receptacle and the outer casing, A, as will be readily understood by an inspection of the drawings.

In order to insure the ignition of the matches when the compartments are extended from top to bottom of the receptacle, these compartments may be made slightly tapering from bottom upward to insure frictional contact of the match-head with the roughened surface at the upper end of the compartment, though I have found in practice that the application of sand or other gritty material to form said surface sufficient-ly contracts the compartment at top to insure ignition. The tapering form of compartments may, however, be employed with advantage when these are made of metal and the friction-surface by means of cutting, corrugating, or otherwise mechanically roughenin g the friction-surface thereof.

We are aware that match -holders constructed so that the withdrawal of a match therefrom will cause its ignition, and that isolating match-heads from each other are not new in a broad sense, and we do not desire to claim such features, broadly.

Having now described our invention, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent 1. In a match-safe, a holder or receptacle for the matches, composed of a series of corrugated or fluted sections closed and hinged together at one end, as at O, and provided with a friction-surface at the open end, and an inclosing case or stand, A, for the same, all combined, constructed, and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a match-safe, a holder or receptacle for the matches, composed of a series of corrugated or fluted sections, intervening flat sections or leaves provided with a friction-surface at one end and hinged together and to the fluted sections at the opposite closed end, and a lid hinged to one of the outer leaves, constructed and operating substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. In a match-safe, the combination of an inclosing-case with a holder or receptacle for the matches, composed of aseries ot'corrugated or fluted sections, intervening flat sections provided with a friction-surface at one end and hinged together and to the fluted sections at the opposite end, and a lid hinged to one of the outer leaves, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a match-safe, a holder or receptacle, B, for the matches, composed of a series of corrugated or fluted sections provided with a friction-surface, as set forth, the open-sided holder B, having hinged lid b and pin 1?, and the inclosing-case A, having slot S, all combined, constructed, and operating as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS RIEDIDL. ALBERT PFLUGER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE LOUIBIER, BERTHOLD R01. 

